Agricultural implement



J. Ni, BOWEN. AGRICULTURAL EMPLEMENT. APPLlcAmN FILED Min/14, 1920.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921. ,I

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

nvvEwToR 25' 3E J'a-irzesfonrme 50:44am,

WITNESS A TTORNEY@ :1. M. BOWEN. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAYI4, 1920.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

36 IIvvElvToR WITNES A TToRIvE'Ys MORRIS PEIERSJNC LITHD wASnINsIuN D C .NETE- y ST Aren fOfFffFfllCfE;

JAMES MONROE BOWEN, Yor CAPE MAY-COURT HOUSE, NEW JERsEY,AssIGNoR To s. L.- ALLEN & Co.,.1NC A CORPORATION or'v RENNSYLVANIA.

AGRICULTURAL IVMPLEMENT'.

Application filed May 14, 1920. .Serial No. 381,291. Y

To @Hicham/imag concern: y

Bef it lrnown that I, JAMES 'MONROE BownN,.a citizen .of the United States, and a resident of lCape. May YCourt House, county of CapeA .May, and State ,of New Jersey, have inventedcertain new and useful lmpi'ovements in Agricultural Imple-v ments, of which the ollowing'is a specification, reference being had to the accompany-` 'ing drawings. Y

YMy invention relates to agricultural iniplements adapted to be drawn by suitable motivepower such las a tractor or horses,

: cident to agriculture, itjis particularly adapted foruse in cultivators, and more especially those-'intended for the simultaneous cultivationot a pluralityof substantially parallel rows ot plants,ancll iliave, therefore, here-' in illustrated .and described the iiiventionea's embodied fin ya i cultivator primarily intended for the cultivationgotbeets or .the like.

Itwill-be understoodthatin modern tarming operations it :is customary to plant'the seeds ot beets and .similar plants mechanically byfmeansrota machine which'Y simultaneously deposits the seeds in a plurality ofk parallelrows as lit isidrawn acrossthe field, so `that when the kplants emergev from the ground the rows thereof are equidistantly spaced buttrequently Jfol-low a somewhat sinuous course, depending on the amount which ,the...seeding machineehas deviated `from a :straight line in its passage over Vthe lfield. `Under these conditions, in

subsequent cultivatingoperationslit is requisite toaccurately direct the cultivator along therowsfsince it the cultivator blades .are initially set close enough to the plants lto effect the .desired degree of cultivation, a

relatively slightv deviation of the implement from the directionof the rows l.will cause theablades toy cutintolthe plants to'thei'r resultinginjury. In practice itV has been. found extremelyv difficult tovguide thev tractor which serves to .draw the eultivator with sufficient, accuracy to causeA .theecultivatorf blades to follow thev rows, [especiallywhenthe cultivating implement is of atype iintendedto l.effect the simultaneous cultivation of a plurality ot rows, and a principal ob- ]ect of inyinvention therefore listhei provi specification of Letters raient. Patented Apr.;5,

sion, in .a cultivator or similariniplement, ,Y

of means ioreiieecting lateral shifting ot the ground .working tools in veither direction to enable the operator to cause the tools VVto ac-Tv curately follow the -rows' without altering the general direction of, travel of the trac-.y tor, or other means, by ,which rrthe implement is being drawnacross the field,- i 1 Further objects Otmy inventionpare to provide in a cultivator or agricultural implement intended Vtor Vsimultaneous operation Aon a plurality otrows of plants, means operable by the Jieet of the operatorlior laterally shitting ,the cultivat'or blades or other ,tools as'gmily .bev desired,- :without altering the general direction ot4 travel of they implement,.so that thehandsV otthegoperator other ,tunctiom such Eas @guiding the'implebeing soarranged .and-otsuch character that their actuation may be effected byaenatural invention are l of the tools or blades or to permit the tool carrying means to be elevated or depressed more at one end than at the other, so that in traveling over a Ylevel surface the tools toward one side of the implement may be caused to enter the ground more deeply than the other, or when operating on inclined surfaces, adjustment of the tools may be effected so that lall of the tools will entery the soil for an equal depth; and tol provide c to describe an implement embodying my invention and intended primarily for the cultivation ofbeets, and adapted to simultaneously'operate on four rows of plants, Figure 1 being a top plan view of the implement; Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a fragmentary rear elevation, and Figs. 4 and',

respectively fragmentary views, partially in section, showing detailsfof'the device. The form of implement illustrated com- Il prises a main, transverselyV extending supporting bar 1 conveniently formed from a piece of pipe, from which downwardly de# pends a pair of axle lsupports 2 secured to the bar and each serving at its lower end to receive one end of an axle 3 about which revolves 'a wheel 4, the other ends of each of the axles beingtransversely bored vfor the reception ofy an adjusting rod 5 which passes through the axle and is secured at its forward Vextremity to the bracket-bar 6 which extends entirely across ythe front of the implement 'parallel to, forward of, and

' considerably below the supporting bar 1, the

ends of the bracket-bar being bent at right angles to itsmain portion and secured to Y the extremities of the supporting bar.` Braces 8 extend between the lower ends of the axle supports andthe bracket-'bar to assist in imparting rigidity to the former. Y

' A substantially U-shaped main frame 10 is provided, the majorvportionthereof being horizontally disposed and extending rearwardly from the supporting bar 1 on whichit rests, the forward ends 11 of the U being directed downwardly from the supporting bar toward the bracket bar and secured in fixed position Ywith respect thereto by transversely extending bolts y13, each of which passes through one of the ends 11 as well as a pair of laterally spaced braces 14 extending between the supporting bar 1 and the bracket-bar 6 with their ends respectively secured to these parts, the bolts 13 also being ,effective to secure certain other parts in positionV as hereinafter described. ocated. in the rear of the supporting bar 1, extending between the side members of the main frame and suitably secured thereto, is across member 15 which serves both toy strengthen the frame and as a supportA for certain mechanism hereinafter described, while a pair of braces17 is arranged to extend downwardly and forwardly vfrom adjacent this cross member to the bolts 13 with which they engage, the whole arrangement beingv such thatthe bracket-bar 6, `main frame and cross member are rigidly supported from and upon the support ing bar 1 to form a strong,rigid, unitary whole embodying but a minimum number of parts. A' second cross member 18 is also preferably arranged to extend transversely between the side membersofthe main frame tofwhich it is suitably rigidly securedand serves as a support for the inner endrof the seat bar 2O as well as for the footlcvers 2,2

hereinafter described. yThe seat bar which may conveniently be offset to one side of the center line of the machine yso as to give the Operator a clear view along one of the rows being cultivated, passes rearwardly over the main frame and carries adjacent its outer end the lseat 24.

For supporting thecultivat-ingblades or Y other ground working tools 25 which may; be of any suitable or desired form, a trans-i Y f ico" versely extending gang vbar v27 is provided,^

and thetools are preferably adjustably secured infixed operativeirelation with the bar by any suitable means such as clamps 28, as will be well understood by those familiar with'the art, kthe specific construction of the tools and `means for securing them `to the gang barl forming no part-of the Vpresent invention. The `gang. bar is pro` vided, preferably adj acenteach end and at suitable points vvbetween its endsywithyertically disposed, cylindrical sockets30'bolted to the .gang bar which are'adapted vto ref ,v

ceive the downwardly turned rear ends ofk the substantially longitudinally. extending( draft rods 31 which may be of any desired number, four being employed in the form of the invention shown. The forward end of each of the draft rods is Yturned downwardly and engages in a vertically disposed, eylindrical'aperture in one of al plurality of draft rod brackets 32 secured adjacent the. bracket bar 6 in vertically movable relation therewith by thebolts 13, 13,-which latter extend through the ends 7 ofthe bracket bar :and through rearwardlyand upwardly turnedclips 34 secured tothe bar It will be understood thatY adjacent thereto. the ends o-f the-,draft rods are capable of about the bolts. A preferably 'flat link v35 is positioned beneatheach of the draft rods and providedwith an aperturea'dj acent each end, these apertures being adapted tofreceive theendsof the draft'rod vwhich respectively yproject downwardly beyond the lower face of the adjacent socketf30 landibracket32,1cotter pins 36 extending through the endsof the rod serving to hold lthe'link in position.

.For adjustably supporting. the ga-ng bar from the main frame 10, suitable mechanism is provided which'may conveniently comprise a pair of vertically extending rods-40, 41, the lower ends of which extend loosely through the horizontal portions of substantially L-'shapedclips 42,j 43, the extremities of thevertical portions of which lare curved over and around the adjacentI draft rods 31, as best shown in Fig. 3, or otherwise suitably secured thereto, lnuts 44 on the eX- tremities of the rods 40, '41, servingto prevent the latter from pulling through the apertures in the clips. Each of the rods is provided with a colla-r 46-adjustably secured in position thereon by means of a set screw,j and a spring 47 is disposed Vabout lthe rod` between the vcollar and the clipsov that normally the latter. is forced downwardly toward the endvof the rod, but canslide thereon against the tension of thespring if pushed upwardly with suificient force, there- Y theV likelihood of linjury to Y by minimizing y the tools in case 'of contact vwith a stone ory other obstruction. lllirtending transversely across and above the main frame 10 is a squared sha-ft 50 rotatably supported. on a pair of brackets 51 bolted to. the side meinbers of the frame and .adjacent that'end ofk the shaft Anearest the rod 4() aL collar 53 to which is bolted a notched` quadrant 54 is secured to the shaft ibyia 'setjscrew 55 or in any'other Vconvenient manner, while 4an`VY other collar 56, having a lug or projection 57 adapted for the reception of ya pivot' boltv 58, is also secured onthe shaft in sujchposiftion that a hand lever 59 carrying the usual spring controlledy dog 60 and Vpivoted 'one the pivot bolt 58 is in such position that the dog is n in coperative relation with the quadrant, the lever being' extended rear wardly to apoint for convenient operation from the seat 24. The lever is also extended in the opposite direction, that is, forwardly, from the bolt, and provided with an` aperture 61 adapted to receive'the laterally ,6.0.7

turned end of rod 40, so that movement of the lever aboutits pivot boltr58 will serve to raise or lower the rod 4() and, in` turn, the

adjacent draft rod, which motion is com unicated'to the gang 4bar to raise and lower that end of the same most nearly adjacent knon-rotatably mounted von the-'squared shaft with 1a notched vquadrant *67.v VThe lever is Y mounted o n'la 'flangedjcollar 69l to which'` it is rigidly ksec'ured'an'd which, in turn, is 80 and held iii rvposition thereon by 'Cotter :pins

7 0.V The quadrant is provided with an aper{ ture' through which.. the fcollar `extends land in whichf'it is capable of rotation, and vfor 85 holding the quadrant in-an upright position, a rod 7 QeXt'ends forwardly therefrom' and is attached -to any convenieiitportion of the machine such as Ythe cross member 15. The lever is provided with a hook shaped lug 75 over which is hooked one end of a relatively heavy spring 76, the other endfofwhich 'is secured to the main frame 10, for a purpose; tobe Ahereinafterdescribed.;` Adjacent that end of the shaft nearest Vthe master lever v65 whichv may conveniently `be upon the) oppo' site side ofthe operators seatV from that on which 'the lever 59 is arranged, is al collar 7 8 carrying a forwardly and downwardly pro-A jectingl arm" 7 9l through an'aperture inY the le() -endof'which passes the laterally turned justed byjmanipulatioii of the lever 519,since 11'0 l,

that lever andV its4 adjacent mechanism, whateverV be if its position of adjustment, moves unitarily with' the shaft "50 when the .latter is rotated bythe lmaster lever, althoughz when desired thelever 59 may beY 115 moved relatively to thev squared shaft whati- Vever be the position ofv the master lever;`

Hence, by V'suitable manipulation ofthe lever 59, desired angular :adjustment of theV4 Y gang bar may be secured, while by suitable Y120 manipulation-of them'aster lever the blades` may befwithdrawn from the Iground or forced into it,.as required Yin the operationV of the mplement,fthespring76 serving toy assist lthel operator` ,in raising Athe gang bar. -1 25 1 Sui-table means V'are .provided for permitting-theoperator-,to effect lateral movement in either direction of thegang'bar .in order that the ground working toolmay be caused Y to follow VJthe rows ofv plants A,with the' re- 130 quired accuracy'independently of the general direction in which the implement is .being drawn, said means, inthe embodiment ofthe invention illustrated, comprising a pair ofl footlevers 22 horizontally pivoted on suitable pivot vbolts extending through lu'gs Sl'rigidly secured to the cross member `18 oryother convenient portion of .the imple-k ment. The rear endsofthe foot levers are provided with foot krests'Sl conveniently ar` ranged for engagement byy the operators feet, and the forward ends are positioned beneath, and normally rest against, the lower edge of a cross lever centrally-pivoted on apivot bolt 86v passing horizontally through the cross member 15. ofthe cross member a downwardly depending arm 88 is also pivoted atts upper extremity on` the pivot' bolt, and a pair of diagonally disposed braces 89 serves to'connect the arm'with the cross lever 85 so that the arm and lever constitute a T-shaped,

rigid, voperatively unitary structure. Thev lower end of the armis suitably connected,

as by a rod 90, Vwith one of thefclipsft or other convenient portion of the mechanism movable with the draft rods or gang bar in suoli manner that movement of the cross lever through they medium of the foot levers will serve to pull orl push the rod 90 longitudinally and in turn move the gang bar latera'lly to the right or left with respect to the frame of the implement in accordance with.

the direction of rotation imparted to the cross lever. VHence, for example,`the oper? ator by depressing the right hand footlever may readily shift the gang bar to the right and vice versa when required in the operation of the implement in order to cause the ground workingtools to follow any slight curves Vor irregularities in the lrows ofv plants, and as the gangk bar ingoperation is drawn afterthe bracket-bar bythe loosely swinging draft-rods,.it'will, except when"V forced to oneside or the otherfby shiftable operation of -theffoot levers, normally' track be# hind the draft bar without deviating from the direction in which the implementfis being drawn. Furthermore, the lgang bar is at all times and under all conditions of operation maintainedl in parallel relation. with the bracket-bar 6 and supporting bai'1 1, so that pressure on thek foot levers but merely al-` On the opposite side j lows his feet tocomfortably restthereonunf til heV wishes to shiftfthe'bar in orderk to follow some irregularity in the rows, toeifect which a slight pressure on the lever imme-A diately brings about. the necessary vlateral Vdisplacementof the gang bar which, as soon as the pressure is released,:`promptly returns to normal accomplished whatever may be the vertical or angular adjustment of the gang bar asde termined by the position -of Vtheflevers i59.

and 65.

Means of any suitablevor convenient formv are provided forconnecting .the implement with the tractor or other-means operative to draw it overthe position, j l,these operations being ground, which may, for example, and as shown-in the-drawings, com`-v prise aA draw barlor tongiielOO positioned.

sii'

centrally of the implementY and yextendingf'-v forwardly therefrom, the' rear end ofthe tongue being bolted to 'adownwardly jdepending U-shaped member 101, another bolt 102 being conveniently passedthiough the' braces 14- adjacent the tongue to assistjin rigidly positioning the latter withrespect to;

the othery portions of the implement, a pair of braces 104 anchored at their-inner ends to the bolts 13 and secured tothe tongue advance ofthe implement alsoassisting in," this regard. When the implement is toibe used in connection with a tractor 'having ai rearwardly; extending ,beaml A; means may also be provided-for securing-the supporting Vbar lrto the beam,1 hichnmayfcomprise a- Y supported on aniip-l wardly curved supportlOG, the lower. ends- Ui-sha'pedr member :105

of which are secured to seats 107 clamped to;

the supporting, bar, although, if; desired,.any. other means suitable for performing thede-l sired function may be utiliz-ed.

While I have illustratedand,.described one formof my .in-'f vention, as embodied cultivating iinpleez ment adapted for simultaneous cultivation with some particularity of four rowsv ofplants, I do not thereby de-` n n sire'or intend'rjto limit.. myself specifically thereto, as vtheljinvention may be utilized in connection with other forms of implements.

and with substantially similar forms ofiinV lplements intended for Vthesimultaneous culy tivation of a.I greaterv or less number of rows, l

and modifications andfchanges'may be made in the V.variousdetails of construction and' arrangement, without departing fromV the'V spirit and scope of the invention as defined in thejappended claims. n

Havingthus described my in claim and desire tofprotect by Letters ent ofthe United States:

YPat-f jl. ln an agricultural implement, Vthe com-,3 bination ofia frame, a member belowvandL wheel supporting? fixed with respectthereto,

vention, I

means below said frame andin rear of said member, 4supporting wheels carried by Said means, a gang bar, draft rods operative to iso y movably 'connect ,said gang .bar "with said member, foot controlled .mechanism operative tol effect lateral shifting ofathe gang bar with 'respect to said member, and/manually operated means for elevating and depressing said gang barwith respect'to said framer.

2. VInfan agricultural. implement, the combination of a frame, a member below and fixed with respect thereto7 wheel supporting means below said frame and in rear of said member, wheels carried bysaid means, a gang bar, draft means comprising a plurality of draft rods extending between said member and said gang bar, foot actuated mechanism operative to effect lateral displacement of the gang bar with respect to said member, and manually controlled lever mechanism for effecting vertical adjustment of said gang bar independently of its laterally shifted position.

3. In an agricultural implement, the combination of a frame, a member below andV fixed with respect thereto, supporting means for said frame and wheels `supported from said frame, a gang bar, laterally movable draft rods connecting said gang bar and said member and operative to maintain said gang bar normal to the direction of travel of said implement, f oot controlled mechanism operative to effect lateral shifting of said gang bar with respect to said member, manually controlled mechanism for effecting vertical angular adjustment of said gang bar, and a master lever for effecting vertical movement of said gang bar without altering the angular adjustment thereof.

4. In an agricultural implement, the combination of a supporting bar, a pair of wheel supports carried by said bar, supporting wheels carried by said supports, a member below, infront of and in rigid relation with said bar, a plurality of brackets carried and vertically movable with respect to said member, a gang bar, laterally movable draft rods connecting said gang bar with said brackets, and foot controlled mechanism operative to effect lateral shifting of said gang bar with respect to said supporting bar.

5. In an agricultural im lement, the combination of a supporting Ear, a support in rigid relation with said bar, a plurality of brackets vertically movable with respecty to said support, a gang bar, laterally movable draft rods connectingYK said gang bary with said brackets, foot controlled mechanism operative to effect lateral shifting ofA said gang bar with respect to said supporting bar, manually operated lever mechanism for effecting vertical angular. adjustment of said gang ban-and a manually ,con-

trolled master lever for raisino' and lower-v ing said bar independently o its vertical Vangular adjustment or laterally shifted. po'- sition.` v i 11.4@ .7'

6 1InY a cultivator,'the combination'of a frame, wheels supporting said fframe, a

.transversely extending'gangy bar, a support, i' y l tive tol communicate motion from said f leversl to said gang bar'to effect lateral shifting thereof, independently of its vertically adjusted position, a hand lever connected with said gang bar for eecting` vertical angular adjustment of said gang bar, and a master lever also connected with said gang bar for raising and lowering the gang bar with respect to said frame independently of its vertically adjusted or laterally disposed position.k

7. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a supporting bar, supporting wheels in operative relation therewith, a bracket bar rigid with saidv supporting bar, a plu-v rality of brackets vertically movable .withl respect to said bracket bar, a gang bar disposed-in the rear of said supporting bar,

va plurality of parallel draft rods extending between said gang bar and said brackets l.

and movable with respect thereto, a pair of foot levers pivoted on said-frame, means interposed between said'. levers and saidi draft rods operative to communicate motion from said levers to said rods, to shift-said.

gang bar laterally, means for vertically supporting said rods with respect to .said frame, and manually operated levers for A,raising and lowering said supporting means whereby vertical angular adjustment of said sans bar may beeffected and Vsaid 'gang bar v raised or lowered when said gang bar is,`

either in normal or laterally shifted position. .v

8. The combination in a cultivator having a'frame and a gangbanof a plurality ofV movabledraft rods normallyy operative to maintain said' gang bar at right angles to the direction of travel of the'cultivator, a foot controlled lever and connections from being operative to effect lateral shifting. of

a hand lever and connections tothe gangv -said'leverto said draft rods,'said lever bar whereby said gang bar may be vertically angularly adjusted, landa master-lever and connectionsV to the gang bar whereby said gang bar may be raised or lowered irrespective of its laterally shifted or vertically angular position.

9. The Vcombination in a cultivator hav-l ing a frame and a gang bar, of draft means matically operative to maintain said :gang

bar at right angles to. the direction of travel of the cultivator, "a `foot controlled` lever operative to eii'ect lateral shifting of. the

Y gang barfwith respect to the frame, a manually operable lever f mechanismA for effecting vertical angular adjustment of said gang bar, and manually'` operable master lever mechanism forl raising and lowering said 10 gang y bar independently of vits laterally shifted'or vertically angularly adjusted pol sition. w A 4 In Witness whereof I Ahave 'hereunto set i' i my hand this 12th day of May, A. D. 1920. 15

JAMES MONROE BOWEN.

Corrections in tetters Patent No.1 ,373,858.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,373,858, granted April 5, 1921, upon the application of James Monroe Bowen, of Cape May Court-House, New Jersey, for an improvement in Agricultural Implements, errors appear in the printed speoication requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 45, for the word shiftable read suitable; page 5, line 44, claim 4, after the word carried, insert the word by; and that the said Letters latent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the Case in the Patent Ooe. l

Signed and sealed this 7th day of June, A. D., 1921.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

